At a time when both households and the government are facing acute financial pressures, knowing who benefits from public spending is key to ensuring that the impacts of policies are consistent with…

Annual Health Checks for People with Learning Disabilities: What Do the Latest Statistics Really Tell Us?

In our response to the 2026-27 budget, we highlighted that the Scottish Government was again forecast to run a significant underlying deficit of around £659 million, which was higher than we had…

A wealth tax is a tax on the ownership of net wealth – the total value of someone’s assets minus their debts. Wealth taxes can be applied as a one-off tax, based on wealth held at a single point in…

This analysis and article was produced by Economic Futures Summer Placement Student Charlotte Wren. While there is an important focus on its overall performance, many policy actions focus on…

The latest Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland (GERS) statistics have been published this morning, providing an updated picture of Scotland’s public finances in 2025-26. The figures show that…

A look ahead to the release of the Scottish Government’s GERS 2025-26 report.

A new report highlights the central role of services trade in Scotland’s economy and identifies practical opportunities to strengthen the country’s international competitiveness. The report…

If there is a word that has come to signify Andy Burnham’s policy agenda, it’s devolution. The new Prime Minister has made it a central plank…

Following interest in our most recent programme of learning disabilities research, we had the opportunity to meet with Sir Stephen Timms in May...

This report assesses the economic contribution of the industries represented by the British Allied Trades Federation (BATF). It was commissioned by BATF, representing the National Association of…

Prevention has become a watchword for Scottish Government publications, taking a central role in strategies like the Population Health Framework and the Public Service Reform Strategy.

A blog summarising the findings of Strathclyde’s Learning Disabilities Research Network’s latest collaborative workshop on employment.

Since 2017, Scotland has been the only nation in the UK with statutory targets for reducing child poverty, placing the issue firmly at the centre of policymaking. The Fraser of Allander Institute…

Researchers at the University of Strathclyde find that post-release supervision can play a meaningful role in reducing reoffending, particularly when it is well-designed, targeted, and applied at the…

Ben Cooper is joined by Dr Markus Gehrsitz and Sam Grant to talk about their latest research on post-release supervision of offenders and its impact on reoffending. The backdrop to this study is that…

Essential weekend reading - does the SG have a fiscal black hole? is the UK in hock to the bond markets? And more on child poverty statistics

In the final episode of our election analysis series, we discuss what the results of the elections in Wales and Scotland mean…

Scottish business confidence shows modest improvement in early 2026, despite all six key activity indicators staying negative for a sixth consecutive quarter.

FAI Deputy Director João Sousa is joined by Ed Poole and Guto Ifan of the Wales Governance Centre to discuss the main talking points on tax and spending…

FAI Deputy Director Joao Sousa is joined by Ed Poole and Guto Ifan of the Wales Governance Centre and FAI Director Mairi Spowage to talk about…

FAI Deputy Director João Sousa is joined by Ed Poole and Guto Ifan to talk about the health service and health spending in Wales…

FAI economists Mairi Spowage, João Sousa and Ciara Crummey discuss the Scottish Parliamentary election manifestos…

Understanding how demand for adult social care will change over time is essential for effective policy reform. Decisions about funding, workforce planning and service design all depend on having a…

Wales Governance Centre’s Ed Poole is joined by FAI Director Mairi Spowage and Deputy Director João Sousa to talk about the funding landscape of the Scottish higher and further education sectors…

Recent data has remained positive for the Scottish economy, but the outlook for future growth is being dampened by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, according to the Fraser of Allander…

Wales Governance Centre’s Ed Poole is joined by FAI Director Mairi Spowage and Deputy Director João Sousa to discuss the findings from our report…

Alex Cole-Hamilton’s Scottish Liberal Democrats announced their manifesto for the Scottish Parliament election at the end of last week. We’ll go through the main announcements on tax…

John Swinney’s Scottish National Party (SNP) announced their manifesto for the Scottish Parliament election yesterday. We’ll go through the main announcements on tax, spending and public sector…

Wales Governance Centre’s Ed Poole is joined by Spencer Thompson of the Fraser of Allander Institute to talk about how devolved social security powers…

Gillian Mackay and Ross Greer’s Scottish Greens announced their manifesto for the Scottish Parliament election this week. We’ll go through the main announcements on tax, spending and public sector…

Anas Sarwar’s Scottish Labour announced their manifesto for the Scottish Parliament election yesterday. We’ll go through the main announcements on tax, spending and public sector reform…

FAI Deputy Director João Sousa is joined by Ed Poole and Guto Ifan of the Wales Governance Centre to talk about higher education funding in Wales…

João Sousa and Ciara Crummey of the FAI and Ed Poole and Guto Ifan of the Wales Governance Centre talk through the main points of the week…

Russell Findlay’s Scottish Conservatives launched their manifesto for the Holyrood election earlier this week. We’ll go through the main announcements on tax, spending and public sector reform, and…